Official V:EKN Lasombra Newsletter for November 2000
By Michael Eichler
- - - - - - - - - - -
Story Time - Next time get a navigator.
Minion Call - A discussion of cards...
Sabbat War - A perspective...
Deck - Lasombra on the Presidential Lawn (Revisited)
Deck - Lasombra from Hell
Deck - Lasombra Red Cross Service
OT Deck - Low and Dirty Blow Deck
- - - - - - - - - - -
Next time get a navigator.
Giblet motioned to Coaster to slow down.
"Damn it, Giblet. I can see she’s slowing down. Hell, if it wasn’t
for your skinny ass not knowing how to drive, I’d make you do it."
"Hehe... Whatta sain, Coaster? Dat I’m sum kinna beckseat dryver?"
"Yes, I am calling you a backseat driver. Idiot, and can that shitty
sounding accent. It sounds as awful as you look."
"Hey Coaster, sounds like our snack is kicking again... Oh man, pull over
quick! Miss Prissy Pants is stopping."
"Damn you Giblet! Just let me drive the damned car. Do you see me
telling what to do while you do your job?"
"Sheesh, what a mood... OK, just let me slide on out."
The door opened as the car slowed to a stop and Giblet rolled out to
the pavement.
Leah smiled as she drove her BMW down the street toward the residence
of Justice Christopher Gordon and family. Gently drumming her fingers
on the leather case next to her, she mused on where to plant it to
increase its effect. Deciding to pull over and reexamine the blue
prints a final time, she noticed a car 50 meters to the rear also pull
over. Flaring her nostrils to express her dislike to the idea of being
followed, she started to unroll the plans while watching the rear view
mirror. No movement was evident from the rear, but her sense of
anxiety grew. Giving in to the sense of dread, she dropped the plans
into her lap and threw the car into gear just as the passenger window
exploded inward. The car leapt forward, she heard something slap
against the car as it squealed back onto the street, tires smoking.
Taking a quick glance to her right she saw a clawed scaly hand of a
Nosferatu clutching at the doorframe. Accelerating down the street,
she saw another car parked to her right 100 meters up. Fighting to
control her fear she jerked the steering wheel to the right while
trying to angle the car for a sideswipe.
Giblet realized it was a bad idea to have grabbed the damned door after
smashing the window. Now with his feet dragging behind, and the crazy
bitch accelerating down the road, he could feel the leather of his new
Nike’s shredding away. "Damn it all, you prissy bitch! It took me 2
months for find these shoes!" he yelled. Blinded by the intense heat
growing in his feet, he again tried to pull himself up by throwing his
left arm to the top of the car in an effort to find some purchase. He
extended his claws and punctured the roof to gain some leverage when
the car swerved to the right, almost throwing him off. Looking up,
Giblet saw the approaching parked car with dread and tried one last
time to propel himself upward.
Leah struck the parked car, clipping it hard. The back half of the
roof ripped open as the rear side door tore off, and the rear window
exploded outward. Her uninvited hitchhiker rolled a few times down the
street clutching the door before coming to rest in a heap. Leah
continued to accelerate down the street, running stop signs and red
lights that appeared in front of her.
Giblet felt a trickle of blood drop into his savaged mouth and quickly
swallowed it. Opening his one remaining eye, he focused on Coaster
holding a struggling teenage girl in one of his arms. He barely
noticed her eyes and mouth were ducted tape shut, but he did notice
that Coaster held her slashed left arm over his face as blood continued
to dribble downward from the outstretched fingers. Managing to
untangle his arm, he moved it up and grabbed the offered arm despite
the roaring pain it caused him. Quickly bringing it down, he latched
his mouth of the open wound and started to feed.
"Hell of a job you did back there, Giblet. I’m figuring you spooked
her for at least another 30 minutes."
Coaster flipped open a cellular phone and punched a few buttons before
raising it to his ear.
"Coaster here... Yeah. Giblet spooked her but good. But I will be
needing some help here though... Well, Giblet is kinda useless right
now... From the spook job... Cool, send them over but make it fast.
Coaster out."
"Well Giblet, it is time for me to get to work", Coaster said quietly
while closing the phone. "Good thing your network figured out who the
target was. Heh! That Caceras is one clever bastard. Who would ever
think of rotating the street signs in a five block area."
"Oh Leah. I have a request for you, my dear... Benito, you are such a
prick. Come to think of it, a lying prick!", yelled Leah as she drove
her newly stolen car toward her intended victim’s house. "It will be
so easy. All you have to do is go in and make some people disappear."
She snorted.
Looking at the street sign she became confused. "How did I get to Elm
so fast?"
Checking her rearview and finding it clear, she pulled over to the side
of the road.
"Let me see that blasted map again. I could have swore I was on 23rd
and now I’m on Elm? Something isn’t right...", as she peered at the map.
"Well... if I am here then that would mean MLK would be two blocks over
to the right past Aspin... Let’s see."
"Coaster here... Yeah she seems to have taken the bait. Right now she’s
turning down the new 20th Avenue toward our MLK... Wait, wait! She’s
slowing down... Yeah, I think our pigeon is hooked", Coaster stated
with a smile.
Leah walked casually out the front door, stopping only for a moment to
adjust her hair.
"Benito never said anything about bloody servants. Ah well, I
definitely feel good now. Let me see now", as she checked her
watch, "I have exactly 15 minutes before life here becomes interesting."
Walking toward her car she heard the sound of an engine roaring down
the street.
"Oh shit..."
Running toward the car she looked toward the sound of the approaching
car. Whipping open the door she jumped into the driver’s seat,
inserted and turned the ignition and threw the car into gear. Stomping
on the accelerator the car shot forward as her door closed.
"Giblet! Here take my phone and let Andrew know that I am in pursuit
of the stupid bitch. Just make sure his people reverse the work here
before the sun rises."
"You know, I think this calls for a drink", Giblet stated smilingly as
he picked up the phone and started dialing.
Next evening...
"Benito! Get your sorry ass into my office! Now!", yelled Caldwell as
he stomped through the entryway.
Jumping up, Benito followed Caldwell.
As the door of the office closed, Caldwell turned around, grabbed
Benito and threw him across the room before Benito had a chance to
react.
Slamming into the glass cabinet and shattering it, Benito laid stunned
as Caldwell approached.
"You and your stupid request to take out the Justice Gordon with your
young protégé! Do you know what that little shit of yours did last
night? She blew up the mayor’s house! The mayor’s house! Now how in
the hell did she manage to pull that off? Aim for a judge and hit the
mayor... Bah! Just like a woman! Absolutely no sense of direction... Only
now Caceras is sitting in a stronger position as he owns the fucking
Council!" Caldwell yelled as he again grabbed Benito and lifted him off
the floor.
"You are going to get me back Phillip while I take care of your little
pet, permanently." Caldwell said bluntly, dropping Benito back to the
floor.
"Now go! I have things to think about."
Caceras laughed out loud as Sophia provided the details of the previous
evening.
"I do believe it is time for me to set the stage for an investigator."
Caceras stated lightly as he raised his glass in a mock toast.
"An investigator? Whatever for?"
"Why to set my next plan into motion, sweet Sophia."
"Mmhm", Sophia mused aloud.
"Why Sophia, my investigator is an old friend from the old country."
"Jack? You are bringing Jack here? Caceras, are you insane?"
"On the contrary, I could never be more sane. Oh I know Jack can be a
liability, but he has his uses. And besides with council approval,
Caldwell will be footing the bill."
"But why Jack!? Isn’t there some other way..."
"I am sure there is, but I have received information that we shall soon
have company from somewhere south. And I believe Jack is just the man
to help flush that company out."
"Can I at least leave the city again for a few weeks? Gods! You know
how I hate him."
"Ah my dear girl... I have other plans for you."
"Like...?"
"There is an off-shore account that requires cleaning if I am to
persuade Jack to come... Shouldn’t take more than a day or two at the
most. But have a care that you don’t get too much Sun", Caceras
chucked.
- - - - - - - - - - -
A discussion of cards...
While each clan within V:TES possess special cards that help give them
advantages over their opponents, the Lasombra are fortunate to have
access to cards that easily compensate them for some of their
shortfalls. The first of these cards, Political Struggle, was
discussed in newsletter dated, July 2000. The next set of cards,
Political Seizure and Camarilla Vitae Slave, were discussed in the last
newsletter, Oct 2000. This article will highlight the use two cards.
The first is Power Structure and the second is Blanket of Night from
the 3rd Preview of the Sabbat War set, courtesy of White Wolf.
Power Structure - Lasombra Required Master Card
No cost
Text - Unique Master
Tap to give each Lasombra you control one additional vote for the
current political action.
This is without a doubt the best card the Lasombra possess within
their arsenal of cards, IMO. The card is not a location and thus can
not be stolen or destroyed. Additionally, it requires a Lasombra to be
in play before it can be brought out. The card’s power is directly
related to the number of Lasombra currently owned and thus the use of
Embraces or Creation Rites are usually incorporated to provide that
extra political boost the clan sometimes when seeking political
dominance on the table. As such this is the card that helps make the
Lasombra the power that they are.
The card even with it’s limitation of only being usable just once
per turn gives the Lasombra the fast political clout they need to match
or exceed their Camarilla enemies. The card is wonderfully
invulnerable for the most part which tends to cause irritation in many
opposing players. The card’s invulnerability, I am supposing, is to
show that the Power Structure is really an idea and therefore more
difficult to destroy or stop.
Currently there only two ways to neutralize the card. The first
is to Sudden Reversal it upon its initial introduction. The second is
to contest it. Each of these counter methods have their problems. The
first method is usually counter by the fact that many Lasombra players
will have more than one copy within their deck. As it has been
mentioned in the Newsgroups, if you don’t have at least three of them
in your deck, you’re not really trying to get it out. So while the
first method will slow it down, it shouldn’t stop the Lasombra cold.
The second method is more difficult of the two, but is usually the more
effective of the two. As the card is unique, contesting it easy. It’s
difficulty lies in the fact that it usually means that more than one
player is using the Lasombra to achieve their ends and as of a result
both may taken off the table by the other players.
If the Lasombra player does not wish to construct a Lasombra
Political deck the card should still be added at least twice to help
provide some Political cover or ceiling to protect it from those other
players who are playing politics. Stopping a key vote once each turn
could be all that is needed to give the Lasombra the edge to win a
victory or the day.
Blanket of Night - Obtenebration Action Modifier
Cost 1 blood
Text - Normal - +1 Stealth
Superior - Only usable by a vampire other than the acting minion when a
minion attempts to block an acting minion you control. Tap this
modifying vampire to cause the block to fail; that blocking minion
cannot attempt to block this action again.
I have taken the liberty to write a review on the one card that
White Wolf allowed early preview. Much has been already stated about
the card and many people have expressed their initial opinions on it.
Much of what I saw was not in a good light. Though the card has its
limitations, it is still a noteworthy card and should not be discounted
lightly.
As it stands, the card is an inferior version of Elder
Impersonation. The only difference between the two cards is how the
superior version is played. For the Elder Impersonation, the acting
minion plays the card to gain its effect. For the Blanket of Night, an
untapped minion who is not the acting plays the card to give its effect
to its action cohort. The minion who plays the card becomes tapped to
allow the acting minion to continue on with its action. While losing
another minion’s action for the turn can be deemed excessively high and
thus a very poor card. I disagree.
Currently, I can think of only one card that does not serve the
Lasombra well and that is Summon the Abyss. Its usability is not
efficient IMO. That can be disputed by some, but its cost of 3 blood
to its effect seems too steep. With the Blanket of Night, the cost of
1 blood for a +1 Stealth does not seem out of character with the clan.
They are not Nosferatu, Malkavians, Assamites, or Setites. They are
Lasombra and their need for stealth can be supplied more cheaply with
Obtenebration than with Obfuscate any day of the week. Please note
that I am not saying that Obtenebration is better than Obfuscate for
stealth. It isn’t. I am simply saying that due to the high
availability of Obtenebration and the very weak availability of
Obfuscate to the clan, augmenting the clan with Obfuscate Masters and
Action Modifying cards can actually hamper the clan rather than help.
This is because you are trying to insert a Passive Discipline into a
clan that specializes in Active Disciplines. Obfuscate is the
discipline of stealth. Obtenebration is a discipline of manipulation
of the darkness that resides in each of us. It can provide protection
from sight (stealth). It can provide assistance during combat (Arms of
the Abyss). It can act as a sensory dampener (Entombment). It can act
as an independent offensive agent against your prey (Summon the
Abyss). Overall, the discipline seems to be in-line with the "Toolbox"
concept. Providing a little bit of this and a little bit of that to
help the clan achieve their goals.
In short, Blanket of Night mimics Elder Impersonation but in a
different way. Its use actually represents two minions working to
achieve some important goal that one or the other minion is
attempting. And in that light, I think the card works beautifully.
Its use in combinations should never be overlooked, especially when you
remember that the Lasombra enjoy creating new minions all the time and
so must have enough discipline cards to meet their needs. What is an
extra card slot or two if you can provide an Embrace or Creation Rite
with Superior Obtenebration that will give you the Blanket of Night
when you need it?
- - - - - - - - - - -
Sabbat War - A perspective...
(On the following, please keep in mind that this is just a
perspective. If you agree, wonderful! If you disagree, then we
disagree.)
With the current release of Sabbat War (SW) I would like to point
out something that many people may not have noticed yet. If you really
look at the type of cards within SW coupled with the new Errata put
forth by LSJ. I would state that the game is being pushed toward a
balance where Bleeding, Voting and Combat all stand on some kind of
equal footing. Sabbat War has the appearance of giving the Sabbat sect
exactly what it has been searching for and that is a more efficient
Blood Pool recycling method, additional strong combat capabilities and
some new political weapons (cards). The expansion also seems to be
pushing the need for a greater increase in the use of Auspex, which IMO
is a highly ignored discipline. The only reason I state this is the
Camarilla has maintained a stronger edge over the Sabbat due to their
strengths in cheap blood pool recycling, political capability through
specialized votes and large quantity of permanent titles, and greater
availability of minions with which to choose from. To maintain that
edge the Camarilla will need to stop the actions the SW expansion
provides to keep the Sabbat at the level ability they had prior to SW’s
release.
- - - - - - - - - - -
Recently I have been working to polish the Lasombra on the Presidential
Lawn into an easier flowing deck that has a greater operational speed
than the one previously published. As I am adding an discipline into
the deck that does not fall in with the Lasombra’s natural abilities, I
have taken care to try and keep the new discipline abilities (cards) as
active as possible. For the several times I have played the deck, I
believe I have found the right mixture so I do not slow down the
cycling of the deck and stop its forward momentum.
Enjoy!
Lasombra on the Presidential Lawn (revisited)
By Michael Eichler
Crypt - 14 cards
Aaron Duggan - 2 / ot (Lasombra)
Cameron - 3 / po do (Lasombra)
Ramiro - 4 / ot do vi (Lasombra)
Ignacio - 4 / ot po do (Lasombra)
Guido Lucciano - 5 / OT do ob (Lasombra)
2x Aurora Van Brande - 6 / OT po do fo (Lasombra)
2x Sela - 6 / ot PO PR ce (!Brujah - Bishop)
Jessica - 7 / OT PR AU CE (!Toreador - Bishop)
2x Gratiano - 8 / OT DO po ob (Lasombra - Priscus)
Alvaro - 9 / OT PO do pr (Lasombra - Archbishop)
Antonio Delgado - 9 / OT PO DO th (Lasombra - Archbishop)
Library - 90 cards
Master - 18 cards
4x Presence Discipline
Obtenebration Discipline
Political Hunting Ground - 2 pool
The Hungry Coyote - 2 pool
Information Highway
Tribute to the Master
3x Power Structure
4x Blood Doll
2x Minion Tap
Political Action - 17 cards
6x Kine Resources Contested
Conservative Agitation
Rumors of Gehenna
3x Consanguineous Boon
Political Stranglehold
Cardinal Benediction
Dramatic Upheaval
Crusade: Houston
Crusade: Detroit
Crusade: Mexico City
Presence - 7 cards
4x Bewitching Oration
3x Voter Captivation
Domination - 6 cards
6x Deflection - 1 blood
Obtenebration - 19 cards
4x Arms of the Abyss
5x Shadow Body - 1 blood
4x Shadow Play - 1 blood
4x Shroud of Night
2x Entombment - 2 blood
Non-Discipline - 16 cards
Bloodbath - 1 blood
Arson
2x The Embrace - 2 blood
3x Bribes
4x Cryptic Rider - 1 blood
5x Wake with Evening’s Freshness
Retainer - 4 cards
J.S. Simmons Esq.
Tasha Morgan
2x Camarilla Vitae Slave - 2 blood
Equipment - 3 cards
2x Laptop Computer - 1 pool
Ivory Bow - 1 pool
============
Lasombra from Hell
By Tim Eijpe
Type: Vote and Bruise.
Crypt - 12 cards
2x Gratiano
2x Antonio
2x Angelica
Ayleaya (!Tremere)
Guido
Mitchell
Aaron
Aurora
Lucita
Masters - 18 cards
Tomb of Rameses III - 3 pool
2x Info Highway
2x Dreams of the Sphinx - 1 pool
Elysian Field - 2 pool
Giant's Blood
2x Power Stucture
Legendary Vampire - 2 pool
5x Minion Tap
Festivo dello Estinto - 1 pool
2x Heidelberg Castle - 2 pool
Non-disciplined - 7 cards
Bloodbath - 1 blood
4x Wake with Evening’s Freshness
2x Forced Awakening
Equipment - 2 cards
Mr Wintrop
Camarilla vitae Slave - 2 blood
Dominate - 25 cards
4x Govern the Unaligned - 1 blood
2x Scouting Mission
2x Bonding
2x Conditioning - 1 blood
Foreshadowing Destruction
5x Deflection - 1 blood
2x Thoughts Betrayed - 2 blood
7x Mind Rape - 2 blood
Obtenebration - 28 cards
7x Entombment - 2 blood
8x Arms of the Abyss
8x Shadow Play - 1 blood
5x Eyes of the Night
Potence - 3 cards
3x Disarm
Votes - 7 cards
7x Banishment
============
Lasombra Red Cross Service
By Tim Eijpe
Crypt: (12 cards) [Min: 11, Max: 28, Avg: 4.67]
1 Aaron Duggan (Lasombra, 2, ot)
1 Alvaro (Lasombra, 9, do OT PO pr, Archbishop)
1 Aurora Van Brande (Lasombra, 6, do fo OT po)
1 Cameron (Lasombra, 3, do po)
1 Gratiano (Lasombra, 8, DO ob OT po, Priscus)
2 Guido Lucciano (Lasombra, 5, do OT ob)
2 Ignacio (Lasombra, 4, do ot po)
1 Mitchell (Pander, 2, ot po)
2 Ramiro (Lasombra, 4, do ot vi)
Library: (89 cards)
Master (20)
3 Blood Doll
3 Dominate
3 Dreams of the Sphinx
2 Elysian Fields
1 Giant's Blood
1 Hungry Coyote, The
1 Minion Tap
3 Obtenebration
1 Political Hunting Ground
2 Tribute to the Master
Minion (70)
8 Arms of the Abyss
4 Bonding
2 Camarilla Vitae Slave
4 Computer Hacking
2 Conditioning
4 Deflection
2 Entombment
3 Forced Awakening
2 Govern the Unaligned
1 J. S. Simmons, Esq.
2 Laptop Computer
2 Redirection
6 Scouting Mission
2 Seduction
5 Shadow Body
8 Shadow Play
5 Shroud of Night
1 Tasha Morgan
4 Threats
3 Wake with Evening's Freshness
It has been pretty effective, getting 6 out of 10 VP's so far, sweeping
one table.
============
Off-Topic Deck
This deck is just for pure fun and has absolutely nothing to do with
Lasombra other than I was initially trying to work a Lasombra angle
with it (failed) and finally arrived at this. If you play in an
environment is very heavy into Fortitude or Immortal Grapples, I would
advise to not play this deck. Overall, this deck is loads of fun to
play as it has a wonderful surprise factor that only lasts for one
round of play. So I would never classify the deck as tournament
class. I just consider the deck to be a Mayham deck that usually flows
quite smoothly through the deck. The deck aims at placing all it faces
into torpor. If it can do this while retaining at least one point of
blood on their helpless prey, the deck thinks nothing of it to
diablerize especially with a Ritual of the Bitter Rose in hand.
Movement of the deck is to hammer the prey into torpor and then come
bleed at will for 1 point apiece. Defense is a good offensive and
turning backward on the predator is also easily accomplished, if
necessary.
Enjoy!
Low and Dirty Blow Deck
By Michael Eichler
Crypt - 12 cards
Regillio - 3 / au ob (Nosferatu)
Normal - 2 / ob (Malkavian)
Lena Rowe - 3 / ob au pr (Pander)
Watenda - 3 / ob (Malkavian)
Daliyah - 4 / ob PT (Nosferatu)
Yorik - 3 / de ob (!Malkavian)
Dan Murdock - 3 / ob au (Caitiff)
Duck - 3 / po ob (Nosferatu)
Dollface - 3 / au ob (Malkavian)
Josef - 4 / ot ob an (!Nosferatu)
Dimple - 2 / ob (Nosferatu)
Hadrian Garrick - 4 / pr ob (Setite)
Library - 90 cards
Master - 20 cards
7x Obfuscate Discipline
Humanitas
Fame
Depravity - 1 pool
4x Haven Uncovered
2x Blood Doll
4x Tribute to the Master
Obfuscate - 14 cards
3x Behind You
2x Psychic Veil - 1 blood
9x Disguised Weapon
Non-Discipline - 44 cards
Arson
2x Delaying Tactics
10x The Embrace - 2 blood
15x Lucky Blow
12x Bum’s Rush
4x Ritual of the Bitter Rose
Equipment - 12 cards
10x Stake
Ivory Bow - 1 pool
Catacombs - 1 blood
--
Worry comes from the belief you are powerless.
(So get in there and kick some butt!)